PIGS: My Appliqué Sampler | McCall’s Quilting Blog

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I’m sitting at my computer staring at the blank screen trying to remember what I’ve finished in the last couple of weeks in the way of PIGS (Projects in Grocery Sacks).

There is one but it is for another blog, another day and I can’t show it to you yet.

The Original 18 blocks

So the only thing “PIGish” that I can show you is another week’s worth of progress on the still unfinished applique quilt. I started with 14 orphan blocks that could be set on-point and 4 that needed to be set square.


pigs my applique sampler all the possible blocks 300x242 PIGS: My Appliqué Sampler

All the Possible Blocks

Then I searched through all my PIGS and found a few more appliqued blocks.

I spent my evenings for a while finishing the blocks that had the applique patches fused but not stitched. Now I have all the applique patches stitched on.

Now I’m doing the hard part. I have to make each block in a diagonal row the same height by adding strips of green fabric. The width can be different.

I started in the middle and I’m working toward the upper left hand corner. The center row and the row above it went fairly quickly. I’m using assorted green fabrics to add to the scrappy look of the quilt.

pigs my applique sampler the first two rows 229x300 PIGS: My Appliqué Sampler

The First Two Rows Ready to Stitch Together

When I have the blocks all the same height, I sew them together with sashing in between and add the setting triangle to one end. I start sewing from the end of the row with the setting triangle and when I get to the other end, I make any adjustment necessary in the length of the row by adjusting the width of the last sashing strip, add the second setting triangle and complete the row. It worked easily for the center row and the row just above it.

Then I add another piece of sashing the width of the entire row.

Row three was more difficult. I am not measuring before I start sewing a row. That would make it easier I’m sure but I’m just faking it here. I’ve not done this before and I’m feeling my way. If I told Bake, my husband, what I was doing, he’d get out his sketch pad, a measuring tape and calculator and he’d be able to tell me exactly how wide my sashing strips need to be – but I’m not patient enough to wait while he does that. So that third row was way too long. I took out a couple of seams and made the sashing between the blocks much narrower. And it’s still just a smidgen long. I’m thinking that I’ll add to the row beside it.

pigs my applique sampler ready to add the fourth 288x300 PIGS: My Appliqué Sampler

Ready to Add the Fourth Row

It wasn’t until I looked at this photo that I realized there is no sashing between the top two rows. I’ll have to fix that. And I want to take off the green setting triangle. It just doesn’t seem to fit the overall scheme. The quilt will be better with a cream-colored setting triangle there.

I’m in love with this quilt. I’m getting more and more excited about it all the time. I think it is going to be so pretty. I can hardly wait to get home to work on it each night.


pigs my applique sampler sparkling sampler PIGS: My Appliqué Sampler

Sparkling Sampler

Just in case you’d like to try making a sampler, the popular Sparkling Sampler is available in digital format. (And we’ve done all the math so the pieces and parts fit together.)

pigs my applique sampler fat quarter 150x150 PIGS: My Appliqué Sampler
Or perhaps you’d like Fat Quarter Sampler. It has lots of different sizes of blocks but again, we’ve done the work so they will fit together correctly.

Now I best quit writing and work on the projects on my desk.
Happy quilting.

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